Renardite is a rare secondary uranium phosphate mineral typically found as bright yellow coatings or small platy crystals. It is highly radioactive and primarily sought after by advanced collectors of uranium-bearing minerals for its aesthetic crystal habits.
Is this renardite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch renardite with a known reference. Renardite sits at Mohs 2-3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Renardite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Renardite typically shows a pearly luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, lemon-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: platy crystals, crusts, fan-like aggregates.
Often confused with
Renardite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Renardite leaves yellow, Autunite leaves pale yellow.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Renardite leaves yellow, Parsonsite leaves white; luster reads pearly on Renardite and adamantine on Parsonsite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Renardite leaves yellow, Torbernite leaves pale green; luster reads pearly on Renardite and vitreous on Torbernite.
Often found alongside renardite
Minerals reported to co-occur with renardite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb(UO₂)₄(PO₄)₂(OH)₄·7H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2-3
- Density
- 4.5-4.8 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Pearly
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Platy Crystals, Crusts, Fan-like Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Fluorescence
- Bright Yellow-green Under UV
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Zones of Uranium Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find renardite
Classic worldwide localities
- Shinkolobwe Mine, DR Congo
- Kobokobo, DR Congo
- Loda, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized zones of uranium deposits country, the host setting where renardite typically forms. If you start seeing torbernite, autunite, uraninite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy crystals, crusts, fan-like aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find renardite on the map
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